'Defensively, It Was Tricky For Him,' Klopp Opens Up About Alcantara's First Liverpool Outing

KEY POINTS

During an interview, Klopp said Alcantara needs to know his teammates better
Alcantara set a Premier League passing record Sunday
He came off the bench in the second half at Stamford Bridge

Liverpool FC boss Jurgen Klopp said the club’s newest signing Thiago Alcantara had a great game Sunday but needs to improve "defensively".

Alcantara, who recently moved from Bayern Munich to Liverpool, made his Premier League debut during The Reds’ trip to London on Sunday. Alcantara came off the bench in the second half before Sadio Mane’s brace handed the champions a 0-2 victory at Stamford Bridge.

In a post-match interview with Sky Sports, Klopp spoke about Alcantara’s first outing as a Liverpool player. While the manager liked the midfielder’s game a lot, he does believe it’ll take some time for Alcantara to settle and understand their system.

When asked about Alcantara’s debut, Klopp said, "It was top timing, I would say. He played with Spain, trained with Munich, so that’s not a problem. But, of course, he is not used to our things, that’s clear. They played in a different system. You need to get used to your teammates. But, when they were one man down, it became a perfect game for him."

Liverpool skipper Jordan Henderson, who started the Chelsea match, has not fully recovered yet from an injury he sustained towards the end of the previous season. During the half-time break, Henderson complained of a “tight thigh” and as a result, Liverpool decided to give Alcantara his debut. At the half-time break, the scoreline was 0-0 and Liverpool hoped Alcantara’s inclusion could make an impact.

"And Hendo felt a little bit..and we decided to bring him on. I liked the game a lot. Defensively, it was tricky for him, but offensively, with the ball, that’s him, he wants to pass the ball," added Klopp in the Sky Sports interview.

Alcantara’s presence on the field eventually paid off as he had a part to play in Liverpool’s first goal scored by Mane. It was Alcantara, who had passed the ball to Roberto Firmino, who then had a one-two with Mane before the Senegal striker struck a powerful header past Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga.

Alcantara, who came in only in the second half, completed more passes (75) than any Chelsea player managed in the entire game. According to soccer statistician Opta Joe, Thiago’s 75 successful passes were the most by a player who played a maximum of 45 minutes.